Yellow not mellow
by MackayFire
Summary: Tyler/Caroline one shot. Caroline and Tyler have been dating for a few months but an upcoming dinner with Mayor Lockwood throws Caroline for a loop


**A/N**: I miss Caroline/Tyler! I'm in denial about the months to go until a new episode so this is my temporary remedy. Just cute T/C goodness! In this story they've been dating a good few months after being friends for a few months before that. Please let me know whatcha think :)

Rating: M (for language)

* * *

><p>It was a drizzly Friday morning as Caroline awoke and automatically felt panicked before she'd even opened her eyes. In less than twelve hours she would be going to dinner with Tyler and his mother. She tried to recite her mantra that she was an self-assured, calm warrior woman slash vampire but the adrenaline continued to course through her veins. She tried to remind herself she'd been suffocated, shot in the head, almost sacrificed, nearly staked etc and that she could survive dinner with the mayor but this rationale only made her uneasy about her new 'life state' and even more anxious.<p>

"Just breathe," she comforted herself.

Her mother wouldn't be any help. She thought of Tyler as a selfish, spoilt brat and that was before she found out he was a werewolf that could kill her daughter. She had agreed to keep silent about her disapproval and 'let her choose her own mistakes' as she so encouragingly put it but she still gave her the 'what the hell are you thinking?' expression whenever he came over.

After fifteen minutes of stewing in discontent hugging her childhood bear Homer to her chest she kicked off her covers with a little too much force and trudged to the bathroom. She decided to think of some potential conversation starters while showering. This did make her feel better for a time until she realised she knew most of the answers already because she had grown up around the Lockwoods and their perfect house and hair.

"Fuck fuck fuckity fuck." She couldn't find any other way to verbalise her dilemma. To try and come across as a suitable girlfriend to a woman who had watched her grow up fighting petulantly with her mother and dating her son's best friend. She was now in a whole new category of scrutiny and she wasn't sure a charm offensive would work. She wrapped her towel protectively around her middle as she glared at herself in the mirror.

"Caroline!"

Oh shit, she was running ridiculously late if Tyler's insistent knocking was anything to go by. She skidded out of the bathroom on wet heels only to slip on to her ass on the wooden floor of the hallway. Tyler was already grinning affectionately at her clumsiness through the doorway window. She managed to get up and saunter with concentrated poise to open the door.

"How may I help you?" She quirked her head mischievously and dropped her towel with a flourish.

Tyler's eyes practically popped out of their sockets as he rushed around the door and slammed himself against it to body-block any passerby from seeing her nudity through the glass. She giggled at his breathless awe, despite having the reputation of a player he was mostly the ultimate gentleman where Caroline was concerned and it was always amusing to render him speechless.

She turned around and went to her bedroom, putting her messy wet hair into a loose bun and putting on her lemon-themed knickers. She spun right to go back into her drawer but Tyler's hands were already inside fishing out her yellow bra.

"Put your hands in front of you."

She wanted to mention the time but she felt slightly cruel flaunting her body knowing Tyler's lack of self-control. He slipped the bra straps on to her wrists and pushed it forward with his hands trailing goose bumps up both her arms until his mouth was inches from her cheek as he reached his hands around to do it up and adjust the cups without even looking.

"Good morning Caroline."

"Good morning Tyler."

She couldn't help but beam at his adeptness, all those mornings watching her getting dressed must have paid off. He kissed her sweetly on the lips before rocking back on his heels.

"Now hurry up cock tease." He winked at her as he fell back on to her bed and continued to watch the rest of her progress.

* * *

><p>"What's up with you?"<p>

Tyler rubbed Caroline's lower back soothingly as they sat together with Bonnie at the lunch table.

"Huh?"

"You look like someone's cancelled gossip girl or something. Plus you haven't touched your hamburger."

She thought about moaning that his mother was going to brand her damaged goods and ban him from seeing her or that she was terrified she'd put her foot in her mouth and look like an idiot. She didn't have a great track record with boyfriend's mothers and Tyler's was known for being a judgemental shrew. But Tyler was so happy about the whole thing she didn't want to ruin it for him, it would be implying his mother was a narrow-minded snob and he was on such better terms with her now she didn't want to rock the boat.

"Oh yeah, I was just thinking about what to wear tonight, the restaurant your mom is taking us to is super posh and I don't want to leave it until the last minute to decide on a suitable outfit."

She shrugged with practiced ease but Tyler looked unconvinced.

"Babe you can wear dungarees for all I care. Bonnie help her see sense, I don't get this girl crap."

Bonnie smiled shrewdly.

"What Tyler means to say is that it's not a big deal what you wear, he loves you anyway."

Tyler nodded and put out his hand for a high five that Bonnie met with familiar enthusiasm. It was moments like these that despite every little worry or big crisis that tended to revolve around them all, she felt truly happy. Tyler and Bonnie had somehow bonded over their shared love of Caroline and being the other supernatural non-vampires of the group. They had a system going where she translated particular Caroline-isms he wasn't yet used to and he even gave her guy advice on Jeremy that actually worked some of the time. It meant more than either of them could know that they made an effort with each other for her sake and that Tyler cared for her enough to integrate with her friends despite their past.

"Okay I'll chill, sorry."

"Wear that yellow halter dress you have. It's hot as hell and goes with your underwear." He grinned unabashedly and it made her forget that he was cursed, that wasn't supposed to love him.

Bonnie squealed which produced a conspiratorial smile from Caroline as she massaged the back of his head absentmindedly and produced a puzzled expression from the boy in the group. Luckily the ratio evened out as Jeremy slid in next to his girlfriend.

"So tonight's the big night huh?"

He wiggled his eyebrows at Caroline which earned him a reproachful look from Bonnie.

"What? They are going to _Thornberry Hill_. That's the most expensive restaurant in the state! Seriously dude you need to bring back leftovers so I can taste what meal a week's wages can buy." He laughed to himself but sobered when he saw Caroline's pale face.

"I have to go."

She shot up out of her seat as she felt panic begin to gnaw at her insides. What the hell was her problem? Tyler was getting up to come with her but she put a steadying hand on his shoulder and shook her head slightly. Her boyfriend looked so concerned she felt instantly guilty.

As she power walked out across the field she felt her phone buzz in her pocket.

_U r an idiot if u think u can ever b less than beautiful. Get ur arse bak 2 school x_

She teared up slightly at Tyler's text but didn't halt her progress. It took her half an hour to reach the mayor's office. She walked at human speed so she'd have time to slow her heart rate but now that she was in the foyer facing her secretary it began to skyrocket once again.

"Can I see Mrs Lockwood please?"

The middle aged woman smiled pleasantly at her.

"Do you have an appointment dear?"

"No but-"

"-Well she's taking a phone call at the moment and then she has a meeting so I suggest coming back in the afternoon. I'll schedule you in shall I, your name is?"

This really couldn't wait, she'd end up chickening out of the whole dinner otherwise. She made what she hoped was an apologetic gesture that involved some minor hand flailing and bolted to the office door and entered.

"I'm not sure I can reschedule I-"

Mayor Lockwood glanced up in surprise at her new visitor.

"- sorry you're going to have to give me a minute."

She put the phone distractedly on the desk and raised her eyebrows in questioning.

"Can I help you with something?"

"I'm really sorry to barge in on you at work I just I need to talk to you. I also know I'm skipping school but this is the first time like ever that I've done that. I'm a good student, great in fact! I study and take on every extra curricular under the sun. I also get on pretty great with my mom now, shocking I know! Oh and FYI I really really love your son and I'm terrified that if you disapprove of me that I'll lose him and I can't lose another person in my life. I know there was that one time I got drunk at your summer party and I vomited in your terracotta stair vase and I said it wasn't me but I could tell you knew it was but I was young and I'm totally reformed where alcohol is concerned. I'm totally not a virgin either but who is nowadays? You terrify me."

She took in a deep breath as her hysteria passed and wanted to be sick. She would cry tears of mortification if she wasn't sure it would only make her look even more pathetic.

"Well Caroline I'm not really used to spontaneous confessionals like this but thank you for your honesty."

"Really?"

Carol Lockwood smiled slightly.

"Really. If it's any consolation, if I truly disapproved of you, I wouldn't be spending a fortune on dinner tonight. Besides, at this point I don't think my opinion of you matters two straws to my son."

"Oh thank god. If you could perhaps forget this conversation ever happened though, that would be fabulous."

"It wont leave the walls of my office. Now if you don't mind, I was on a phone call." She made a shooing gesture with one hand as she picked up the phone headset with the other but she nodded politely as Caroline shut the door.

For better or worse, Caroline had got rid of her nervous energy. Carol knew her secret vase shame and that she wasn't some pure and innocent darling so she could at least try to be herself tonight. Luckily she made it back to school for the end of her maths class. Tyler had saved her a seat that no one had dared occupy and she had whispered to her teacher about period pains which saved her from detention.

On her way to French class Tyler accompanied her.

"You realise you'll be late for biology."

Tyler shrugged and drew her to him with a hand around her waist.

"Who cares? All I do is fantasise about you all through it anyway. You're very distracting to my education Forbes."

He kissed her neck as she felt a blush creep up. He delighted in the rare times he actually made _her_ blush.

"You are incorrigible."

He smiled heartbreakingly at her as he swung her around to pin her against some lockers. Two freshmen girls looked torn between watching them and making it to class but when Tyler briefly acknowledged them they turned scarlet and scattered.

"Caroline how can you be so stupid?"

"Excuse me?"

He cupped her cheek with his hand and stroked her jaw line with his thumb, suddenly engrossed with her lips before he drew his intense gaze back up to her.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Why are you so freaked by dinner with mom? Nothing you could do or say can change how crazy I am about you. It blows my mind that you don't realise how great you are or what you mean to me. Just thought I should clarify that."

He kissed her with such tenderness before she could even respond that she felt her eyes begin to water. She was such a total sap.

"I just, I don't know. I wanted to make a good impression."

He titled his head and smiled indulgently at her.

"And you thought telling her you weren't a virgin and that you chucked up in her expensive vase was the best way to go about it?"

She gaped at him in horror.

"I was on the phone to her when you went to see her. I figured you were uncomfortable about doing something so formal with my mom so I snuck out of maths class to call and tell her to cancel. Did I mention how much I love your verbal ramblings?"

"Oh crap."

He chuckled into her mouth as he leaned in to kiss her again but she was too distracted.

"Does your mom think I'm some verbally incontinent skankbag now? She seemed fine when I left but she's a politician!"

"Nope, she just told me there was no way I was cancelling dinner. I think she finds you entertaining."

"That's not really a comfort Tyler."

"I also told her you're the only girl I've ever loved and that if she's anything less than friendly I'm kidnapping you and moving to Florida again."

"You didn't!"

He shrugged and she slapped his shoulder in mock outrage but her insides were too warm and squishy to feel anything but unbridled joy. He gazed longingly at her for a moment before straightening up.

"So dinner is at eight, we'll pick you up at seven because it's a bit of a drive and then we'll drop you back around ten thirty. I'll sneak back into yours at eleven and you can strut around in your yellow panties again. Deal?"

"Deal."

He kissed her one last time before jogging backwards towards biology.

"Oh and Forbes?"

"Yeah?"

"I really really love you too."

He beamed before disappearing around the corner.


End file.
